In the past, for all purposes related to semiconductor wafer handling and processing, the industry-wide standard operating procedure has been to use actual blank silicon wafers, or dummy wafers. It is an accepted practice that all semiconductor handling and processing systems starting from initial wafer cleaning through handling for all of the process steps to final dicing of the wafer are setup, tested, adjusted, and run using blank silicon wafers.
It is acknowledged that periodically there will be broken, blank silicon wafers due to misadjustments or improper handling. It has become accepted in the industry that broken silicon wafers will have to be periodically cleaned out of various processing systems.
Further, it is recognized that systems will have to be purged of the fine silicon particles of microscopic size which result from broken, blank silicon wafers. It is also well known that all these particles may not be able to be cleared out of the various systems and will produce microscratches on production silicon wafers and will cause defects in the end semiconductor devices.
The use of actual blank silicon wafers throughout the entire process has long been known to be the most realistic and economical approach to all semiconductor wafer processing equipment setup, testing, adjustment, and operation.